By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The head of Ladue Schools says renovation work at the district's schools will start in earnest next summer, thanks to voters' approval last week of a bond issue.
Superintendent David Benson says the $30 million will be spent on renovating the district's six schools, all of which are at least 48 years old.
"Right now our schools are old but still in a condition that we could make the investment to increase their capacity rather than tear down a building and build new," Benson said, in an interview.
Benson says the biggest project will be upgrading the mechanical and electrical systems at Ladue Middle School, along with adding classrooms there. The upgrades and additions for the middle school total about $16 million, more than half of the entire bond issue.
Other projects include adding elevators at Conway Elementary and Reed Elementary Schools; adding a theatre at Ladue Horton Watkins High School; adding classrooms at Spoede Elementary and Old Bonhomme Elementary Schools; and doing $1.1 million in technology upgrades for the district's offices.
The district has more than 3,500 students and serves students from ten communities in St. Louis County.